Are Pesticide Washes All Wet?

Pesticide washes are liquid solutions used to remove pesticides from produce. But researchers at the University of California's Riverside campus recently questioned whether they're all wet. They found that the majority of commercial pesticide washes are better-but not much better-than tap water.

One of the products they tested was Proctor and Gamble's Fit wash, which the company says is 98 per cent more effective than water-a claim that didn't hold up under testing and that the US Federal Trade Commission has done nothing about.

"I agree with [the] that the majority of residue is eliminated with just plain water. Adding a bit of detergent to water, which is what produce wash really is, will aid to rid additional residue. Exactly how much more is debatable," says Mia Rose, president of Mia Rose Products, whose natural Citri-Glow All Purpose Cleaner, found in health food stores, can be used as a non-toxic produce wash.